olmsted



E. 13. i oLMsTED, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT or COLUMBIA. Letters Patent IVO. 66,876, (lated July 16, 1867.

PAGKINGAPPARATUS POR ENVELOPE MACHINES.

dige .tlgihnic nitrati In inflitte ittcts n'tvnt mit nmlimgpwt nf tige samt.

lO ALL WI-IOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Beit known that I, E. B. OLMSTED, of the city and county of Washington, and District of Columbia, have invented a new and improved Packing Apparatus for Envelope Machines; and I- do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying' draw. ings, forming part of this speciticatiomand in which- Figure 1 is a horizontal elevation of my invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal elevation of the saine showing the side opposite to that secu inV fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional elevation of the same.

Figure 4 represents the same as seen from a point directly above it.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several iigures.

.This improved apparatus receives the envelopes from the carrier, folds the lappet, places the envelopes in packages of any desired number, fastens a band aroundvsuch packages, and delivers them into a box.

In the drawings, A AA represent portions of the frame of the machine; B is a horizontal box in which works a plunger, C, operated by power from a part of. the envelope machine not here shown. D is a vertical box situated over the box B, and corresponding to it in width, having at its upper extremity a u1ucilage-box,E, in which is a gum-roller, e, operated b'y the spur-wheel e. This wheel actuates a shaft, F, bearing a spurwheehf, and a drum, f', a projection upon which touches the surfaceiof the gum-roher at each revolution. Another shaft, G, is situated back of the shaft F and parallel to` it, working by a spurwheel, g, in the spurwheelf, and bearing u. drum, g, the face of which is presented to that of the drum f', and is so near it that at every revolution off the gummed projection upon it touches any substance carried over the revolvingsurfacc -of tho drum g. Between the drumsf and g descends the strip of paper or tape which is destined to tie up the packages of envelopes. This tape is enclosed in the tu'be H, extending from the top of the machine to the box B. Between the drnmsf and g the walls of this tube are cut away to permit:V the unimpeded operation ofl the gummiug projection on the' drum f. The tape is moved downwards through the tube H, by the face of the drum g pressing against it. The tape will thus travel 'as fast as -the drum g and no faster. At-the bottom 'o'.- the tube H is.a knife, I, which cuts the tape at the proper length for tying each package. It is evident that if the knife I be made to operate at each revolution of the drum g, and the circumference of the drum g be equal to the required length of tape for tying a package, the tape will be cut into exactly the required lengths; and this is simply and easily eected'by making the ratchet-wheel K operate the knife once at each revolution, and revolve simultaneously with the drum g. The apparatus for producing these revolutions is not fully shown in the drawings. It consists of two rods, each armed with a clutch at its extremity, both rods jointed to a pitman operated by the driving-wheel of the machine, and one clutch operating the twenty-tive ratchet-teeth of the Wheel K, while the other operates the twenty-tive spur-teeth of the wheele', or teeth uponaratchet-wheel attached either to the shaftv of the wheel e or to the shaft G. Instead 'of this arrangement, however, the wheels K and g might be 'directly connected by a belt on or by cog-wheels. The wheel K operate-s the knife by .means of a cam, c, on its inner surface, the knife being returned to its place after the tape is cut by means-oi` a spring. On the inner surface of the wheel K there .is also a pin, k', on the side diametrically opposite to the cam Je, the otiice of which isto raise the guide Zat each revolution ofthe Wheel K, to a position directly oppo site to the slot Z in the side of the sliding-box L, at preciselythe same instant in which the knife I is operating upon the descending tape. A long rod, R, actuated by the driving-wheel, and bearing a clutch at its extremity, moves backward and forward at every revolution of the driving-wheel in a position alongside vof the horizontal box B, so that its clutch comes opposite to the slot Z at every forward movement, but does not enter the slot, being prevented from doing so by a little spring which holds the rod R at a slight distance from the box. he clutch, in its ordinary movements, passes above the guide Z, but when the guide is raised by the pin upon the wheel K, it intercepts the advancing clutch upon the rod R, and causes it to enter the slot and to draw the box L back with it in its returning movement until itreaches the end of that movement, when the clutch is again thrown out. The box L is designed to assist in packing-the envelopes and to receive the pack andconvoy them to the delivery-box under the end of the machine. It is a wooden box open at the bottom, and the side facing thebody of the machine, and havingl a small aperture in its top and slides lover the end of the box B upon which it fits tightly. The regularity and accuracy of its motions may be greatly promoted by fixing it upon guides or ways L L. It has no motion forward except thatimparted to it by the rod M, as above described,l and when that is over it returns to its former position by means of a pulley and weight at the extremity of the machine. Projecting into the interior of the box Bare two stops, b b, each attached to a spring, Ii', outside of the box B, which keeps theA stop in its place, and moving through little slots in the walls of the box B. V When the box L is drawn forward i't moves these stops out from the box B by means of bent arms Z" ll, which are thrust under the springs 1J b and forces them o ut away from the box B. v Directly in.` front of the stops b b are` two springs, b b, projecting a short distance into the interior of the box B, and presenting their ends to the rear of the machine towards the stops 6 b, so that when an envelope is deposited on its edge in the box B, between the stops b and the springs b b, the latter prevent it from falling back orbeing drawn back by any casual adhesion to the face of the plunger C. The plunger C is composed of two parts, one, C', connected with the driving-wheel, the other, C, sliding either inside or outside of the former like the sections of a telescopic tube and having a spiral spring, c, at its extremity, where it unites with C', to keep it extended to tho utmost, its face being'composed of two plateswith a wide space between them. This plunger plays backward and forward' inthe box B, its forward motion being stopped by the stops'b b when they are in their place in the box, but. when they are withdrawn, which only happens, as before explained, when the box L is drawn -up towards the tape, the spiral spring c impels the part C of the plunger through the whole length of the boxB, and against the front part of the box L, carrying with it, of course, any envelopes-that' may have fallen 'in the box B and depositing them in the box L. When the box L reaches the point at which its forward motion stops, it strikes vagainst a iiange or'arm upon the two pieces and M',y the former turning vertically upon a hinge in the upper part of the box B, and the latter upon' a hinge under and a little behind the rst, so as to be first reached and closed. Thesepieces M and M areiiat strips of metal bent lat right angles so as to form two arms, respectively,y comprising two-thirds and one-third of the height of th-e strips, and hinged at the angle They close against'. the front part of the box L when it strikes their bent arms, and when 'not held closed by the pressure of the box Ly against their arms, are kept open by means of springs, weights, orv any suitable device, so as to :offer no impediment to the' passage of anything from the Vbox B to the box L. It will be noticed that the stops b b are withdrawn from the box B, permitting the plunger C to pass the entire length of the box B at or near the' beginning of the forward movement of box L, while the pieces M M are closed at the end of the forward motion of box L. In this way, whatever happens to be in box B, in the way of the plunger C, is iirst'forced into .the box L, and then the pieces M M closed upon the front of box L; operating betweenthc' two plates composing the face of the plunger-box B is of course open at the top and bottom where the pieces M and M operate. In. the vertical box D is an inclined shelf, N, upon which the carrier, not shown in the drawings, delivers the envelopes from the cutting, gumming, and folding apparatus. When thrown upon this shelf the envelopes slide down till the unfolded lappet comes to the proper position at the bottom of the shelf, and on the slightly inclined table N lying directly across the narrow vertical slit or passa-ge between the shelf N and the less inclined table N. The envelope may be assisted in its movement down the shelfN by a movable apron or any other of the welle known devices used for such purposes in machines. While the envelope islying in the position just described, the vertical plunger O, sliding in grooves at the rear edge of the box D, and actuated by power from the drivingwheels applied through the pitman O', crank O, frame 0', and supporting-rods o o, descends upon it striking it on theline along which it-is to be bent to form the new lappet, and forcing it down between the shelf N an'd the table N", by which it is broken and folded into the box B, where the plunger C immediately thrusts it past the springs b b, where it rests on its edge between the springs b b and the stops b 6. Twenty-five envelopes 'arc thus deposited in this position during a single revolution of the wheel K. When the twenty-fifth has been brought down by the vertical plunger O, the revolution of the wheel K is complete, the cam k operates the knife cutting the descending tape, the pin k raises the guide Z, and the box L, commencing its forward movement, withdraws the stops b b from the box B, while the plunger C, now free to travel the whole length of box B, instead of stopping, as before, when it has thrust the envelope beyond the springs b b, continues its motion to the box L, thrusting the whole twenty-five envelopes into that box, after which it immediately withdraws and does not pass the stops b b again until another twenty-live envelopes haveaccumulated betweenA springs'b and stops b ZJ. It will be observed that just as the plunger C commences the work oflcarrying the twenty-five envelopes to the box L, the ta/pe hanging down through the .box B, close to the' stops b Z, on the side towards the box L, has'been cut, thc portion cut oil' is directly in the way of the moving bunch of envelopes, and is caught lby them at its centre and carried with them into the/ box L, its ends, which havev been gummed before explained, dragging behind. When the bunch of envelopes has been deposited in box L,- these gummed ends of the tape are left just in the position to be caught and forced tightly together, one lapping over theother by the iiat strips of metal M M, which are at that instant forced together as previously explained bythe movement of box L, the lower strip M first closing, and an instant after the other piece M, and the twenty-five envelopes are thus fastened in a neat and compact bunch or pack. -The retreating movement of the box L carries the packback to the aperture p, through which it is dropped into the delivery-box below. To insure the delivery ofthe pack into the delivery-box, little barbed arms tt may beinserted into the inner wal-l of the box L.

Having thusdcscribed my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The vertical box D, containing the inclined shelf N, andthe gumming-box E, and roller e, land snpporting and guiding the plunging-plate O, substantially as and for the purpose described. i

l 2. The horiontal box B, containing the plunger C,'the`stops b the springs Z2 b, and the hinged plates` M and M', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The sliding-box L, moving on the endvof the box B, and having the arms Z/ l, the slot l', and the interior barbcdarms't t, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The apparatus for moving, cutting, and gumming the binding tape, consisting of the shaft G, with the drum g', and ratchet-wheel g, the tube H, the knife I, and the ratchet-wheel K, bearing the cam k, all arranged and combined substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. The plunger C, consisting of the two parts C and C, und the spring c, and'huving a. face composed of' two vertical .plates with a. wide space between them, substantially as and for the purpose specified. l

6. The rod R, having the clutch at itsextremity, in combination with the guide l and the 4slot Z, in the Woll ofthe box L, substantially ns and for the purpose described.

, E. R. oLMsTED.

Witnesses JOHN S. HOLLINGSHEAD, JOHN D. BLoon. 

